LC
Giant Cowbird Molothrus oryzivorus



Taxonomy

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A., Fishpool, L.D.C., Boesman, P. and Kirwan, G.M. 2016. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 2: Passerines. Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.
SACC. 2005 and updates. A classification of the bird species of South America. Available at: https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm.

IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- - -

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2020 Least Concern
2018 Least Concern
2016 Least Concern
2012 Least Concern
2009 Least Concern
2008 Least Concern
2004 Least Concern
2000 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1994 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1988 Lower Risk/Least Concern
Species attributes

Migratory status not a migrant Forest dependency medium
Land-mass type Average mass -
Range

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 16,400,000 km2 medium
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size 5000000-49999999 mature individuals poor estimated 2019
Population trend decreasing - suspected -
Generation length 3.5 years - - -

Population justification: The global population is estimated to number 5-50 million mature individuals (Partners in Flight 2019).

Trend justification: The species is undergoing a small decline (Partners in Flight 2019).


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding visitor Non-breeding visitor Passage migrant
Argentina extant native yes
Barbados extant vagrant yes
Belize extant native yes
Bolivia extant native yes
Brazil extant native yes
Colombia extant native yes
Costa Rica extant native yes
Ecuador extant native yes
French Guiana extant native yes
Guatemala extant native yes
Guyana extant native yes
Honduras extant native yes
Mexico extant native yes
Nicaragua extant native yes
Panama extant native yes
Paraguay extant native yes
Peru extant native yes
Suriname extant native yes
Trinidad and Tobago extant native yes
Venezuela extant native yes

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Artificial/Terrestrial Arable Land suitable resident
Artificial/Terrestrial Pastureland suitable resident
Artificial/Terrestrial Plantations suitable resident
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland major resident
Altitude 0 - 2000 m Occasional altitudinal limits  

Utilisation
Purpose Scale
Pets/display animals, horticulture international

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Giant Cowbird Molothrus oryzivorus. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/giant-cowbird-molothrus-oryzivorus on 23/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 23/11/2024.